Dunnet Head, Peninsula in Highland, Scotland
Dunnet Head is a peninsula at the northern edge of mainland Great Britain, with steep cliffs that drop down to the Pentland Firth below. A white lighthouse stands on the tip, and the rocky headland offers views across the water toward distant islands and the open sea.
A lighthouse was built here in 1831 by Robert Stevenson to guide ships through the hazardous waters of the Pentland Firth. During World War II, a radar station was installed on the headland to monitor enemy vessels moving into the Atlantic.
The peninsula carries the ancient name Virvedrum, documented in Ptolemy's geographical works from the second century CE.
Access is by car via the B855 road, which leads to a car park near the headland. The site is open year-round, though coastal winds can be strong and weather conditions change quickly.
The lighthouse beam can be seen from far out at sea, and the tower still operates with original equipment that dates back to the 19th century. Ruins of the wartime radar station remain scattered across the headland, telling a quieter story about its military past.
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